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The latest data from the U.S. Department of Labor reveals that weekly initial U.S. Unemployment claims rose more than analysts had anticipated, marking the largest weekly gain in five months. For the week ending February 22, 2025, new filings surged by 22,000 to 242,000, well above the Bloomberg-surveyed estimate of 221,000 (Reuters). This unexpected uptick interrupts a months-long streak of relative stability in labor markets and raises pressing questions about the underlying health of the U.S. economy.

The adoption of the UN Pandemic Prevention Treaty represents a pivotal moment in the global effort to address future pandemics. With the devastating impacts of COVID-19 still reverberating worldwide, international leaders have recognized the necessity of formalizing a coordinated global response to future health crises. The treaty, which seeks to establish binding commitments among nations to prevent and respond to pandemics, raises critical questions regarding sovereignty, national security, and the balance between public health measures and individual freedoms.

Canada crude oil exports to China: In a landmark shift in global oil trade, Canada, traditionally a close energy partner of the United States, has increasingly turned to China as its primary customer for crude oil exports. This realignment marks a significant departure from Canada's long-standing energy ties with its southern neighbor, a consequence that has emerged from the ongoing U.S. tariff war. The trade conflict, initiated under the Trump administration, imposed tariffs and trade barriers not only between the U.S. and China but also affected many global economic relationships. Canada, which found itself caught in the crossfire, has found the economic impacts of the tariff war to be a double-edged sword. On one hand, it faced obstacles in exporting crude oil to its most significant trading partner, the U.S.; on the other, it discovered new markets in China, signaling the unintended consequences of the tariff dispute.

On April 15, 2025, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of major U.S. cities—including Washington, D.C.; Los Angeles; Chicago; and New York City—to protest the federal government’s recent expansion of mass deportation policies targeting undocumented immigrants and asylum seekers. What began as localized rallies in border states quickly escalated into a coordinated national movement under the banner “Families Belong Together,” demanding an immediate halt to large-scale removals, restoration of due process rights, and a review of executive actions seen as exceeding statutory authority. The protests, documented comprehensively on Wikipedia’s page “2025 United States protests against mass deportation,” underscore deep legal and societal tensions surrounding immigration enforcement, federalism, and constitutional protections (Wikipedia, 2025).